LETTER: Democracy is Under Attack

I joined the Army when I was seventeen. As I was taking the oath to defend the Constitution, against all enemies, foreign, and domestic. I could not help but think about the gravity of that oath. It was the first adult thing I had ever done. I was making a commitment to defend the republic and I took it seriously and I still do today. That is why as I watched a fascist mob attack Congress; I could not help but feel the urge to do something.

We must not hide from the fact that what happened on January 6 was a violent insurrection, which was encouraged by President Trump, and facilitated through the complicit inaction of the capitol police, the national guard, and the Department of Defense. Just for a moment, imagine if Black Lives Matter (BLM), socialist, or left-wing organizers stormed the Capital building and attacked police officers. We never would have even made it to the stairs. For those who argue that it is hypocritical to support the George Floyd Uprising but condemn the attack on Congress, need to turn off One America News. Rioting because the police murder with impunity, is self-defense. Rioting because your candidate lost and you are trying to stop Congress from certifying the vote, is anti-democratic, and fascist.

The consequences of January 6 are not an anomaly and were foreseeable. This is because throughout 2020 we saw the police and fascists (yes, there are fascists in the U.S.) essentially conspire to attack BLM and anti-fascist organizers. Look at what happened in Kenosha, Wisc. with Kyle Rittenhouse. The police have always had a cozy relationship with the far-right. Both the police and the far-right are more similar than one would like to think, they have both created paramilitary, hyper-masculine, racist, respect my authority cultures. Not only is this a national problem but it is here in Anchorage. In 2018, local students had organized a “March for Our Lives” event. At this event armed counter-protesters showed up, which I must repeat, armed “counter-protesters” showed up to an event organized by children.

Later, two Anchorage Police Department (APD) patrol officers took photos with the “counter-protesters” while holding a Gadsden flag (the ‘don’t tread on me’ flag.) When I tried to explain to the officers that, that flag is associated with white supremacist organizations, both became incredibly hostile, with one officer telling me, “Some think the Confederate flag is a hate symbol, but I don’t.”

I have never had a good experience with APD, but as a Black man who grew up in Anchorage, those officers did not surprise me. Fast forward to 2020. Groups like Save Anchorage have been terrorizing the city, holding us all hostage in the name of fighting the tyranny of public health mandates. Hyperbole aside, I have attended demonstrations, where Save Anchorage has had armed protesters carrying assault rifles, at the Loussac library, with small children around. At one-point former mayor Ethan Berkowitz was confronted (I would classify as assault) by these goons. They have also showed up to counter-protest other events such as the “March on Washington” rally, where trucks would drive around the block revving their engines trying to scare participants. With some of them even showing up armed with assault rifles, a hatchet, and bear mace.

Not only does Alaska have the same elements that attacked Congress, but we have elected officials like Assembly member Jamie Allard, Alaska House Representative David Eastman, and State Senator Lora Reinbold, who actively pander to these elements and, to be blunt, are these elements. Rep. Eastman was in Washington D.C when the attack on Congress took place and if he participated, he must be expelled from the legislature. Not only are there elected officials who support and condone this far-right extremist violence, but we have two mayoral candidates, Dave Bronson and Mike Robbins who came out of Save Anchorage and who actively count on their support. Every elected official or those aspiring to be, must condemn what happened, silence is complicity.

Not only must we confront fascist and anti-democratic elements in Alaska, but we must also actively combat the lack of transparency and accountability within local law enforcement. The attack on Congress is the consequence of not holding the police and far-right protesters accountable. APD had never shown up to protect residents, when armed far-right protesters were threatening residents. Though, I can tell you from personal experience when I organized protests last summer, I would repeatedly get unsolicited calls from APD. My brother who had nothing to do with organizing any events last summer, was even called by mistake. With the far-right becoming increasingly violent and unrestrained, it is a matter of public safety that Alaskans begin to demand more transparency and accountability from law enforcement.

Body cameras alone will not solve this problem. We need to build structures that are external to law enforcement that have the mandate and authority to investigate and terminate a police officer’s employment. As we saw in the capitol, the consequences of not holding law enforcement to a higher standard, while allowing the police to have a double standard when it comes to protests, that they do or do not agree with, has consequences of constitutional proportions. Governments from the federal to the municipal level failed Alaskans in 2020, we cannot afford for them to fail us in 2021.

I am sure if you scour the far-right groups in Alaska, you can already find people calling for a violent insurrection in Alaska. We must not delude ourselves that President-elect Biden is going to fix this problem. We are fighting for the preservation of democracy and it will take all of us to win this fight.

— Michael Patterson

Anchorage